Who could make it to World Superbike in 2027? (Not from Grand Prix)

Franco Morbidelli to Ducati or not, Brad Binder to BMW, Jack Miller close to Yamaha WorldSBK, Álex Rins looking for opportunities, Arón Canet and Adrián Huertas potentially moving over from Moto2... OK, we've already read and re-read these stories across plenty of motorsport websites. What we know today is that nothing has been officially confirmed yet, but in 2027 there will once again be rookies entering the Superbike World Championship from MotoGP or, more broadly, from the Grand Prix paddock.

But besides them, are there any other riders who could realistically aim for a WorldSBK seat in 2027, without coming from the Grand Prix paddock? Let's take a look, even though, as we'll see, the chances are very slim.

DISCLAIMER: This article contains analysis and considerations based on results and other factors. Therefore, it should not be considered as confirmed news.

Álbert Arenas

Arenas currently leads the World Supersport Championship with 291 points ahead to Valentin Debise (209), and he is repeating the same pattern that made him the 2020 Moto3 World Champion: only a handful of victories, three out of 16 races held so far, but countless podium finishes and a level of consistency that no one else has been able to match. The path he has embarked on with AS BLU CRU Racing and Yamaha Europe has one very clear objective, as he also stated when interviews by Palmen in Motorradsport: to move straight to the Superbike World Championship.

The only available "blue" seat capable of fighting for major results is the one at PATA Maxus alongside Andrea Locatelli. However, Xavi Vierge could also be retained, or the seat could eventually go to Jack Miller. With GRT expected to continue with Stefano Manzi and Remy Gardner, and Motoxracing remaining towards the back of the field (if it even stays with Yamaha), Arenas may have to look elsewhere, especially if he wants to fight for strong results immediately.

One thing is certain today: Albert Arenas doesn't want to stay in World Supersport.

Jaume Masiá

Despite Ducati being slightly behind Yamaha at the moment, Masiá is still having an outstanding season. After the opening eight rounds, he sits third in the World Supersport standings with three victories and numerous top five finishes, despite a few retirements. He is another highly respected and widely discussed name in the WorldSBK paddock. As early as 2025, several media outlets, especially Misterhelmet, linked him to the Motocorsa Racing Team.

Even so, his chances of moving up to Superbike still appear very limited. Besides that, it's true that Masiá has a strong connection with Orelac Racing VerdNatura, the team he currently races for. However, the team owned by José Calero doesn't seem particularly interested in returning to Superbike after the difficult experience lived from 2018 to 2023.

Alessandro Delbianco

A familiar name for several years now, Delbianco is highly regarded by Yamaha itself thanks to both his results and his remarkable devotion and commitment, whether in the Italian CIV Superbike Championship with DMR Racing or in the FIM Endurance World Championship with ELF Marc VDS/KM99.

Apart from two crashes in the CIV and some unfortunate moments in the EWC, the 2026 season has once again seen "DB52" performing at an extremely high level. Year after year, the Italian rider continues to prove that he deserves a full-time entry in the Superbike World Championship, where he would return after his difficult 2019 campaign.

Looking ahead to 2027, however, his chances remain extremely slim. Because of his relationship with Yamaha, his situation is not very different from Arenas', but the difference is that seeing Delbianco racing in WorldSBK with another manufacturer appears highly unlikely. More realistically, he would continue competing in the CIV and EWC championships, just as he does now.

Lukas Tulovic

He was German Superbike Champion in 2025 with nine victories from fourteen races, including seven in a row. Moreover, he is the current leader of the EURO MOTO Superbike Championship after the opening four rounds, with six wins from eight races. Furthermore, he won Race 2 of the CIV Superbike Racing Night at Misano, despite the differences in tyres and technical regulations compared to the German series. In short, Lukas Tulovic has been sensational aboard a Ducati, and not only on home soil.

Tulovic clearly wants to reach the Superbike World Championship. He even held discussions with Motocorsa during 2025, and it cannot be ruled out that he could eventually make the move in 2027. The most obvious destination would naturally be one of Ducati's independent teams already on the grid. On the other hand, it seems almost impossible that Triple M Ducati Frankfurt, the team Tulovic currently races for in EURO MOTO, would attempt a return to the world stage, The German team had a difficult experience in 2018, when it stepped up from the European Superstock 1000 Championship to WorldSBK with Honda and PJ Jacobsen, with little to none success.

In any case, Delbianco and Tulovic have several things in common. They are both national champions, they currently lead their respective championships, and they are still under 30 years old (they are 29 and 26 respectively). Their chances of reaching WorldSBK are very small, but never say never...

Other names (perhaps for 2028)

There are a few more riders who could eventually aim for the Superbike World Championship, although the goal is more realistic for 2028.

One example is Valentin Debise, who is now closely tied to ZXMOTO. Zheng Xue's company is expected to launch the 1000RR APEX R machine in 2027, with a potential WorldSBK programme in sight. If this ever happens, considering the level he is performing at, Debise would be the number one candidate despite being 36 years old by then. Speaking of Chinese manufacturers, we should also not forget CFMOTO and the rider it's reportedly been working with behind the scenes: Matteo Ferrari.

In my opinion, however, these new projects are far more likely to materialise in 2028 than in 2027.

What do you think? Let me know on Instagram (@palmen_in_motorradsport)! 😊